The leukemia virus is a virus
that attacks the immune system and makes it very difficult for the cat
to fight off infections. Some cats can live many years with the virus
without showing symptoms of
illness. However, most cats that are diagnosed with the leukemia virus
typically die
within
fours years
of being diagnosed. The leukemia virus is mainly spread from mom to kittens.
The virus is also found
in the saliva and urine and can be transmitted from cat to cat by grooming,
licking, sharing water/food
bowls and sharing litter boxes.
The AIDS virus also attacks the
immune system, making it difficult for the cat to fight of infections.
Just like AIDS in people, many cats can live a very long and normal life
span despite being infected.
Many cats can go through life without showing any signs of illness. Others
may die from complications
of due to the virus. The virus can be spread from mom to kitten. It is also
found in the saliva of infected
cats. It is most often transmitted to other cats through bite wounds. Intact
male cats are more likely to
be exposed due to fighting.
Recommendations for Testing
The American Association of Feline Practitioners recommend that all cats be
tested for both viruses regardless of age, environment, vaccination status,
or viral status of the cat's parents. SANTA follows these recommendations.
Although rare, it is possible for negative kittens to be born from positive
moms and positive kittens be born from negative moms. After the cat is
initially tested, it should be tested again no less than three months later.
There is an incubation period for both viruses. This means that the cat can
be exposed to the virus, and it may take several weeks to months for the
virus to multiply and infect the body. During this time, the cat may test
negative. That is why a second test is highly recommended. Once the virus
has time to multiply and infect the body, the test will show positive. Cats
that do not go outside and do not come in contact with other cats of unknown
viral status, do not have to be tested every year. We recommend that
indoor/outdoor and outdoor only cats be tested every year regardless if they
have had a negative test in the past and regardless of their vaccine status.
Most older cats and cats that are vaccinated against leukemia are immune to
the disease. However, no vaccine is 100% affective and there may always be
exceptions.
Batch Testing
Batch testing is when blood is drawn from several kittens and used with one
test. WE DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS, AND WE WILL NOT PERFORM BATCH TESTING.
The tests used to detect the leukemia and AIDS virus' are very specific.
They must be used correctly to be accurate. The test is normally performed
by taking three drops of the cat's blood, adding it to 4 drops of a specific
chemical called a conjugate, and then placing the mixture on the test. The
following are several scenarios that could occur if you batch test. Let's
assume that there are four kittens. Only one is positive for the leukemia
virus. The other three are negative. Therefore, there will be one drop of
positive blood and three drops of negative blood. When mixed together, the
positive drop of blood is diluted within the other drops. The test is
designed to pick up a specific amount of the virus. If the sample is
diluted, it may not detect the virus. Therefore, the test would read
negative, and it would be assumed that all kittens are negative. Consider
the opposite scenario. One is negative; three are positive. With the high
concentration of virus, the test will undoubtedly show positive. The one
that is actually negative would be mistaken as positive. Each individual cat
is different; therefore, each should have it's own test.
The importance of knowing your
cat's viral status
Many people ask why it is important to know if their cat has the leukemia or
AIDS virus if there is no cure for either virus. There are several reasons.
If your cat is infected with either virus, it may have difficulty fighting
of secondary infections such as the common cold. The common cold is
generally not serious in a healthy uninfected cat. The cat will usually have
symptoms of the cold for 7-10 days and will generally get over it quite
well. However, a cat infected with either the leukemia or AIDS virus may not
be able to get over the cold as well. The cold can turn into life
threatening pneumonia. When an infected cat becomes ill, it is very
important that the illness be treated right away and very aggressively. You
also want to know the viral status of your cat so that, if the cat is
positive, you can isolate the cat from other cats to prevent the spread of
the disease. It is also important to keep infected cats away from other cats
that may spread infections to them. It is important to know the viral status
of cats before placing them together in the same housing situation.
Should positive cats be put to
sleep?
No. As long as a positive cat is healthy in all other regards, there
is no reason to euthanize the cat. We do recommend that all positive cats be
kept indoors if possible to protect the positive cat from being exposed to
other diseases.
If my cat was infected, would
he/she be showing signs of illness?
No. Unfortunately, you can not simply look at a cat and tell if
he/she has the
leukemia virus or the AIDS virus. There are many common symptoms that
can occur from each of these diseases, but a cat can be infected and
show no symptoms of illness at all. It is also very important to know that
an
infected cat that is not outwardly sick can still spread these diseases.
What about feral cats, testing, and euthanizing?
Recommendations for feral cats versus pet cats are slightly different. Many people will trap, neuter, and release feral cats all at their own expense. There are many feral cats that need care, and it can get pretty expensive for those that are just wanting to help out of the kindness of their hearts. When finances are an issue and there are more feral cats to be spayed and neutered, we recommend saving the money it would cost to test and put that towards more spaying and neutering which is ultimately the most important thing. Studies have shown that spaying and neutering feral cats decreases the spread of the leukemia and AIDS viruses just as much as testing and euthanizing. So if you were to test and the cat was positive, but healthy, our recommendation would still be to release the cat back into its colony. Some caretakers who manage a colony quite closely may choose to test the feral cats so that if one that is positive does become sick, they can try to trap it and get medical attention